Cobbers Pick Up Where They Left Off At Bison Open

FARGO, N.D. — Concordia opened the 2011-12 season by picking up where they left off at the end of last year as they came up with several outstanding performances at the NDSU Bison Open on Saturday. The Cobbers had one of their best season-opening meets in program history as they came away with six top 6 finishes in a meet that featured primarily NCAA Division I and II competition.

Concordia was led by a mix of youth and experience at the meet. A pair of NCAA Championship Meet qualifiers had successful openers as they try and regain their form from a year ago.

Ben Presler, who qualified for the national meet last season, went 2-2 on the day and captured fourth place in the 125-lb weight class. Along the way he beat a pair of wrestlers from the University of Minnesota. Nathan Schmitz, who also qualified for the NCAA Meet last spring, posted a top 3 finish. He lost his opening match of the day but then won five straight and finished third at 197.

Three other returning members of the Cobbers also had top 6 performances. Kyle LeDuc was sixth at 149 as he went 4-3 for the meet. Josten Coleman posted a 2-2 record and placed fifth at 165. Returning heavyweight Cody Kasprick lost his first match of the meet but then roared back to win four straight and finished with a 5-2 mark. Kasprick is coming of a 19-win season in his freshman season. Cobber newcomer Sebastian Gardner opened his collegiate career by posting a third-place finish at 174. He followed the storyline set down by Schmitz and Kasprick. He lost his first match but then won three straight to post the top 3 finish.